Post by magicmuggle01 on Oct 15, 2018 9:51:07 GMT
The Enterprise encounters a being that once visited the ancient peoples of Earth.
Summary
"Captain's log, stardate 6063.4. The Enterprise is tracing the origin of a mysterious alien space probe. It approached the Federation home worlds, made a scan of Earth's system and then signaled outward into space. Before it could be intercepted, the probe self-destructed. We are following a trail of disrupted matter left by the probe's highly advanced propulsion system. Thus far the trail has not intercepted any inhabited star systems."
Soon, the Enterprise encounters an alien vessel that is approaching on the same course as the probe. It is twice the size of the Enterprise, surrounded by an immense energy field and composed of crystalline ceramic. A globular force field encompasses the Federation vessel. The alien ship probes the Enterprise, then the surrounding energy pattern shifts and transforms itself into the shape of a large feathered serpent, which Ensign Walking Bear, an Enterprise helmsman, recognizes as Kukulkan.
Upset over being forgotten by Earthlings, Kukulkan gives the crew one chance to redeem themselves because one crewman did not forget him. Kukulkan states that if they fail him again, all of their kind shall perish. When asked, Walking Bear tells Captain Kirk that he is a Comanche and has studied his background. The ship bears a strong resemblance to a god of ancient Mayan and Aztec legends. The Mayans had a legend of a winged serpent god who came from the skies. They could conceivably be dealing with a space traveler who visited Earth in early times and was the basis for such legends. As Kirk ponders why Kukulkan would want to destroy them, McCoy disappears from sickbay and Scott vanishes from engineering. On the bridge, as Kirk asks Walking Bear more about the ancient legends of Kukulkan, the helmsman too disappears. After that, Kirk vanishes as well, leaving Spock in command of the Enterprise.
"Captain's log, stardate 6063.5. First officer Spock in temporary command. The Enterprise is a captive of an alien lifeform calling itself Kukulkan. Captain Kirk and three other officers have vanished. They were most likely transported by Kukulkan to his ship."
Inside the other ship, Kirk asks Walking Bear if legend says what happened to Kukulkan. The ensign tells him no, only that he left and promised to return one day. Kirk surmises that the space probe was his. Kukulkan says, "Now I have shown you the seeds I have sown before. Learn from them. Find their purpose if you can. Only then will I appear before you." If they fail, the crew of the Enterprise will all perish.
The four crew members are transported to an Earth-like city filled with many cultures that appears to be one gigantic riddle, as Kirk points out. Walking Bear tells Kirk that Kulkukan gave the Mayans a remarkably accurate calendar and instructed them to build a city according to its cycles. When the city was finished, Kukulkan was supposed to return. The Mayans built their city and waited. Kukulkan never appeared. Kirk reasons that he must have visited several ancient people on Earth but each one only used part of his knowledge to build their cultures. If no one built this city exactly right, that is why Kukulkan never came back. The city is the key. It must contain some sort of signaling device.
Kirk decides that it must be the pyramid in the center of the city that may be the key to figuring out the riddle. He climbs it and gets McCoy, Scott, and Walking Bear to turn the heads of the serpent statues to all strike a certain space on the pyramid. When they accomplish the task, Kukulkan appears as the winged serpent, alleging to be their master. He claims they strayed from the path he set. Kirk claims he doesn't know him so Kukulkan will teach him. Transported to an ominous "life-room," the crew members notice a variety of creatures from around the galaxy, all in small cages. There is even a ferocious, but now peaceful, Capellan power-cat.
Kukulkan says they are contented. Each creature's mind thinks that it is on its own world, created by Kukulkan's machinery. They are his only companions, his children to be shown how to live. Kirk says, "If children are made totally dependent on their teachers, they will never be anything but children." Kukulkan has had enough. Despite what he has shown them, they still cling to their disobedient ways. Kirk explains that they cannot accept Kukulkan as their master, despite his contributions to mankind.
On the Enterprise, Spock discovers a way to break the energy field surrounding the ship, distracting Kukulkan from the other crewmen. Kirk and McCoy remove a large tube connected to the Capellan power-cat's cage which keeps its mind at rest. The cat awakens and this causes it to break out of its cage with its naturally produced electricity. The power-cat barges around the room and causes the other animals to be released from their cages, thereby creating a chaos which Kukulkan is unable to control. The power-cat traps Kukulkan, which forces him to reveal himself as a mortal. Kirk saves Kukulkan and thus teaches him a valuable lesson about Human survival. Kukulkan leaves as an old, broken mortal, and Kirk decides that the price of infinite knowledge is too high to pay. McCoy reminds them of a line from Shakespeare's King Lear, "How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is to have a thankless child."
Memorable quotes Edit
"You will be given one chance to succeed where your ancestors failed. Fail me again and all of your kind shall perish!"
- Kukulkan, to the Enterprise crew
"You don't deserve it yeoman, but you're getting a few days bed rest."
- McCoy
"This city is one gigantic riddle."
- Kirk, remarking on Kukulkan's city
"Intelligent life is too precious a thing to be led by the nose."
- Kirk to Kukulkan
"Vulcan was visited by alien beings. They left much wiser."
- Spock
"Just once, I wish he'd let us use the stairs."
- McCoy
Summary
"Captain's log, stardate 6063.4. The Enterprise is tracing the origin of a mysterious alien space probe. It approached the Federation home worlds, made a scan of Earth's system and then signaled outward into space. Before it could be intercepted, the probe self-destructed. We are following a trail of disrupted matter left by the probe's highly advanced propulsion system. Thus far the trail has not intercepted any inhabited star systems."
Soon, the Enterprise encounters an alien vessel that is approaching on the same course as the probe. It is twice the size of the Enterprise, surrounded by an immense energy field and composed of crystalline ceramic. A globular force field encompasses the Federation vessel. The alien ship probes the Enterprise, then the surrounding energy pattern shifts and transforms itself into the shape of a large feathered serpent, which Ensign Walking Bear, an Enterprise helmsman, recognizes as Kukulkan.
Upset over being forgotten by Earthlings, Kukulkan gives the crew one chance to redeem themselves because one crewman did not forget him. Kukulkan states that if they fail him again, all of their kind shall perish. When asked, Walking Bear tells Captain Kirk that he is a Comanche and has studied his background. The ship bears a strong resemblance to a god of ancient Mayan and Aztec legends. The Mayans had a legend of a winged serpent god who came from the skies. They could conceivably be dealing with a space traveler who visited Earth in early times and was the basis for such legends. As Kirk ponders why Kukulkan would want to destroy them, McCoy disappears from sickbay and Scott vanishes from engineering. On the bridge, as Kirk asks Walking Bear more about the ancient legends of Kukulkan, the helmsman too disappears. After that, Kirk vanishes as well, leaving Spock in command of the Enterprise.
"Captain's log, stardate 6063.5. First officer Spock in temporary command. The Enterprise is a captive of an alien lifeform calling itself Kukulkan. Captain Kirk and three other officers have vanished. They were most likely transported by Kukulkan to his ship."
Inside the other ship, Kirk asks Walking Bear if legend says what happened to Kukulkan. The ensign tells him no, only that he left and promised to return one day. Kirk surmises that the space probe was his. Kukulkan says, "Now I have shown you the seeds I have sown before. Learn from them. Find their purpose if you can. Only then will I appear before you." If they fail, the crew of the Enterprise will all perish.
The four crew members are transported to an Earth-like city filled with many cultures that appears to be one gigantic riddle, as Kirk points out. Walking Bear tells Kirk that Kulkukan gave the Mayans a remarkably accurate calendar and instructed them to build a city according to its cycles. When the city was finished, Kukulkan was supposed to return. The Mayans built their city and waited. Kukulkan never appeared. Kirk reasons that he must have visited several ancient people on Earth but each one only used part of his knowledge to build their cultures. If no one built this city exactly right, that is why Kukulkan never came back. The city is the key. It must contain some sort of signaling device.
Kirk decides that it must be the pyramid in the center of the city that may be the key to figuring out the riddle. He climbs it and gets McCoy, Scott, and Walking Bear to turn the heads of the serpent statues to all strike a certain space on the pyramid. When they accomplish the task, Kukulkan appears as the winged serpent, alleging to be their master. He claims they strayed from the path he set. Kirk claims he doesn't know him so Kukulkan will teach him. Transported to an ominous "life-room," the crew members notice a variety of creatures from around the galaxy, all in small cages. There is even a ferocious, but now peaceful, Capellan power-cat.
Kukulkan says they are contented. Each creature's mind thinks that it is on its own world, created by Kukulkan's machinery. They are his only companions, his children to be shown how to live. Kirk says, "If children are made totally dependent on their teachers, they will never be anything but children." Kukulkan has had enough. Despite what he has shown them, they still cling to their disobedient ways. Kirk explains that they cannot accept Kukulkan as their master, despite his contributions to mankind.
On the Enterprise, Spock discovers a way to break the energy field surrounding the ship, distracting Kukulkan from the other crewmen. Kirk and McCoy remove a large tube connected to the Capellan power-cat's cage which keeps its mind at rest. The cat awakens and this causes it to break out of its cage with its naturally produced electricity. The power-cat barges around the room and causes the other animals to be released from their cages, thereby creating a chaos which Kukulkan is unable to control. The power-cat traps Kukulkan, which forces him to reveal himself as a mortal. Kirk saves Kukulkan and thus teaches him a valuable lesson about Human survival. Kukulkan leaves as an old, broken mortal, and Kirk decides that the price of infinite knowledge is too high to pay. McCoy reminds them of a line from Shakespeare's King Lear, "How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is to have a thankless child."
Memorable quotes Edit
"You will be given one chance to succeed where your ancestors failed. Fail me again and all of your kind shall perish!"
- Kukulkan, to the Enterprise crew
"You don't deserve it yeoman, but you're getting a few days bed rest."
- McCoy
"This city is one gigantic riddle."
- Kirk, remarking on Kukulkan's city
"Intelligent life is too precious a thing to be led by the nose."
- Kirk to Kukulkan
"Vulcan was visited by alien beings. They left much wiser."
- Spock
"Just once, I wish he'd let us use the stairs."
- McCoy
